Food: Packaging: Lunch Box
Ming Dynasty Sandwich Box   (+15)  [vote for, against]
Add some dignity to the desk lunch

Every lunchtime, I get my sandwiches out of my sachel, I unearth my tea mug from the drifts of paper that have engulfed it over the course of the morning, and I settle in for lunch at my desk. In order to avoid getting TOO many crumbs on tomorrow's top secret presidential briefing, I sort of lay out the cling film (or food wrap, or whatever it's called wherever you are) into a makeshift plate, which is then scrunched up and chucked in the bin when I'm replete.

This is most undignified.

I'm thinking: sandwiches often come in those cardboard wedge-shaped boxes. With a little bit of extra material, and some blue printing on the inside, we could have a sandwich container which unfolded into an elegant Ming dynasty plate (or cardboard simulacrualula... thing which looked like one). Then I can have my luncheon on a nice faux-plate instead of a lumpy bit of cling film.
-- moomintroll, Feb 07 2007

Ming Plate http://www.gothebor...dex-china-marks.htm
Eat your sandwich off a picture of two Chinese guys who are sad because their chess pieces have been stolen [Osomatic, Feb 08 2007]

(?) This would fold up nicely http://images.moomi...sS4PfZbvCSBec%2ClIA
[moomintroll, Feb 08 2007]

Nice box http://www.flickr.c...hardspics/49047908/
I'd like to get sandwiches in one of these [hippo, Feb 08 2007]

(?) fold flat travel plate/bowl/cup http://www.orikaso.com/
fold it into a box for your sarnies, then at work re-fold it into a plate! [TheLightsAreOnBut, Feb 08 2007]

ASDA Sandwich Boxes http://boingboing.n...ich-boxes-that.html
Baked! Hoorah! [DrBob, Aug 05 2009]

I just get food everywhere. I doubt even this would help me, but I'd use it if it looked good.
-- wagster, Feb 07 2007


It could have a ceramic frog on the side with a computer-controlled nanobot tongue that snatches crumbs out of the air.

Can you add a link to the kind of Ming plate you'd want it to imitate? I only associate Ming with vase, not plate, so I'm not sure I'm imagining the right plate.
-- jutta, Feb 07 2007


when it gets dirty would it be Minging ? (this may not be well understood outside of UK land)
-- xenzag, Feb 07 2007


rofl@xenzag.

long live the uk! (i know, i know, the republic of ireland doesn't count. but we can pretend.)
-- we_dont_eat_them, Feb 07 2007


Thanks {Osomatic] - perfect.

Alternatively, we could go for a nice red-and-white gingham stripe, and make like it's a picnic blanket.
-- moomintroll, Feb 08 2007


But there's a fatal flaw with this idea... "I get my sandwiches out of my sachel", and "I sort of lay out the cling film" imply that you bring in home-made sandwiches (as I do), yet "cardboard wedge-shaped boxes" are associated with shop-bought sandwiches, so you'd still be stuck with your manky bit of clingfilm while your less frugal work colleagues would be unfolding their origami-like faux-Ming cardboard marvels. Otherwise an excellent idea.
-- hippo, Feb 08 2007


Okay, well, maybe I would buy sandwiches if they came in attractive, internally-printed fold-out plateboxes.

To be honest, although I aspire to make my own sandwiches, I normally end up buying them anyway. And they normally come in those plastic wedgeboxes. Disappointment all round, really.
-- moomintroll, Feb 08 2007


My girlfriend did exactly this for an art project at St. Martins. I am therefore obliged to confess how brilliant an idea it is. [+]
-- theleopard, Feb 08 2007


I might have guessed it.Anyway, on the grounds that that doesn't qualify as Widely Known to Exist, I shall leave this posted.
-- moomintroll, Feb 08 2007


I'd much rather have a Ming The Merciless lunchbox shaped like the anoying flying drone, with built in sound effects and a moustache attached to the flask. I can think of nothing more dignified.

[blessed]Gordon's alive?[/blessed]
-- marklar, Feb 08 2007


//Anyway, on the grounds that that doesn't qualify as Widely Known to Exist, I shall leave this posted.//

Absolutely, otherwise I would have mentioned those 3 dreaded, much-acronysed words that all we bakers fear...

Definitely not widely known to exist, and in my opinion a viable commercial product.
-- theleopard, Feb 08 2007


Mmm.. Peanut butter and jam sandwich on flexibility board, when finished, play flexibility chess. The knights being crumbs of cheese and the Queen, paper thin ham [+]
-- skinflaps, Feb 08 2007


Have you ever put tea in your sachel?
-- bungston, Feb 08 2007


[+] nice one.
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 04 2009


Hadn't seen this idea previously but you'll be glad to know, moomintroll, that someone went and baked this idea. Strike one for the 'bakery! (linky).

Footnote: They probably didn't know about this idea at ASDA but I don't see why that should stop us from claiming it anyway.
-- DrBob, Aug 05 2009



random, halfbakery